os_prfan
12-12-2005, 08:59 PM
The Viewing Globe recently had a chance to chat with one of the most highly regarded writers in the fandom, TSoldier. With him gearing up to release the second season of ‘Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: A New Interpretation’, we take a look back at the first season, and what secrets the second season may hold.
os_prfan: Alright. Let's start off with the basics. Tell us a little something about yourself.
TSoldier: Um, ok. I'm in my early 20's, born and raised in California's Bay Area. The rest isn't important.
os_prfan: How long have you been writing?
TSoldier: Ever since I could read. Before that I kind of just drew the stories I was trying to tell, so in a weird way I was writing before I could actually write, only through a more visual medium.
os_prfan: Have you done any original fiction, or only fanfiction? And is that fanfiction only in the Power Rangers fandom, or have you dabbled in others?
TSoldier: I'm not entirely sure what the term "fanfiction" means. I've only heard of the term in relation to PR fics. I started writing Mario Bros. stories and illustrating them, then went on to Captain Planet. I got into Batman in the early 90's but didn't write anything for that. Then MMPR came around and I picked up the writing thing again. Quickly after that I grew out of it and began writing an original fiction story in the same vein as KingRed, sans the PR influences, that featured my friends. I didn't really stick to the writing thing and did more artwork instead. My recent PR fanfic endeavor has been my re-introduction into the world of PR fanfiction.
os_prfan: Is "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: A New Interpretation" the only fic that you've published online, or are their other hidden gems that the fandom doesn't know about?
TSoldier: No, this is the only one. I was in elementary school when I used to write MMPR stories (not my current one). Needless to say, that much time can bury things pretty deep in the past. I still remember one or two pieces of some of the episodes I wrote back then.
os_prfan: Have you thought of including any of those snippets in MMPR: ANI?
TSoldier: No.
os_prfan: Alright, let's get a little more in depth with MMPR: ANI. What was the motivation behind you writing it?
TSoldier: There were several factors. Primarily, I figured it'd be a good exercise for a talent I'd kind of set aside. To take something as "childish" and "ineffectual" as Power Rangers and make it more gripping without making it something PR isn't. After I joined RB I stumbled across Ryuranger's "Ultiamate Power Rangers" and enjoyed the things that were reminiscent of MMPR, while it still managed to tell a different story. I thought there might be a way to write an MMPR re-make that would go as many ways toward preserving the MMPR "feel" as it could go toward changing it just enough to modernize it. And thus Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: A New Interpretation was born.
os_prfan: Was it difficult for you to keep everyone in character?
TSoldier: Not at first. I was a HUGE MMPR fan during S1, so I pretty much knew as much as there was to know about these kids, based on how I've seen them act in the kind of situations we saw them in. But, as the series went on, I found that I was putting these rangers in situations we've never really seen them in. That's when it became a real test of my writing skills: to continue to tell the story, but maintain the characters and NEVER let them slip, even if it would have made it easier to resolve whatever situation they were in.
os_prfan: Although you kept the canon relationships for most of the rangers (Trini/Richie, Billy/Marge and Zack/Angela), you decided to pair Jason and Kimberly. What made you decide to develop the possible romantic relationship between them when a lot of writers I've seen tend to give them a more big brother/little sister relationship?
TSoldier: Their relationship was never a point I made to include in the story. I just started writing and it kind of happened. The second realization I made, after seeing that I was writing Jason and Kim the way I was, was that I thought it worked. It gave us an opportunity to know more about Kimberly and Jason, adding another layer of depth to each. I wasn't completely sure how far I could or would go with their admirations, but once I saw the kind of emotion it added to the DAYS OF THE DUMPSTER saga it was clear that this was gonna work. EULOGY would later cement that fact.
os_prfan: Did you do any research to re-familiarize yourself with the universe before starting to write?
TSoldier: No. I went in blind. I would research a few facts here or there at around "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ZACK" but I went on memory (which is very daring for me) up until "HAPPY", because by that time, even as late in the series as it was, I was getting heavier into the fact-laden stuff. Like planets and galaxies and monster origins, since in MMPR: the show, some of Rita's monsters had been used at earlier times in her past and I needed to know when and where. I just realized I have two episodes in MMPR:ANI that begin with the term "HAPPY". That was another thing that I spent some time thinking about: whether or not I'd use some, all or any of the show's episode titles in my series.
os_prfan: Speaking of the show's episodes, how did you go about deciding what plots from the show to incorporate into MMPR: ANI? Were there any that you knew for certain that you would or wouldn't use?
TSoldier: I had absolutely no future insight as to how I'd handle the series after my DAYS OF THE DUMPSTER saga. I was sticking to just remaking each episode as we went along until I wrote EULOGY, and I knew that giving it the title "CRYSTAL OF NIGHTMARES" would completely destroy everything that made it so powerful. It was then that I realized I wouldn't be able to simply re-tell each episode of MMPR, because I wasn’t following the schemes. EULOGY was also a play off the episode "FOR WHOM THE BELL TROLLS" which automatically meant I wouldn't be able to re-tell each and every separate episode.
os_prfan: Was it a conscious decision to eliminate most of Rita's comedic value?
TSoldier: No, I'm just not funny so I think, subconsciously, I just wasn't going to any great lengths to make sure I was trying write characters as though they were.
os_prfan: There were a few ideas introduced in the season that were never used in the show: the combining of powers on one ranger (Tyranno/Mastodon Ranger), for example. How did you come up with those ideas?
TSoldier: That was actually just a more exaggerated version of something we did see on the show. In the show's "PEACE, LOVE AND WOE", Zordon explained that any one ranger could assume the power of the rest of the group. That's supposed to be how Billy escaped Madam Woe's dimension (in the show). Billy's ranger form didn't change, but I thought a merged Black and Red Ranger form would be an interesting visual.
os_prfan: Now, I can understand why you would introduce Rocky, Adam and Aisha, but what made you bring in T.J., a character from a season that occurs approximately three and a half years after the first season of MMPR (in the show)?
TSoldier: That was a very bold choice on my part, considering I never saw Turbo, and that I'm trying to stay as close to canon as possible. I don't remember there ever being a certain decision to do it. I think I just threw him in to see if I was good enough to make a wild card work. That and I wanted to kind of even out the ethnicity angle. I don't know anything about his character, so I only hope I didn't screw him up to much, although we can expect to see some parts of his personality that I'm guessing were never expressed in the show. His presence will make more sense in Season 2 of MMPR: ANI.
os_prfan: What made you depict Tommy as a more sullen, lone-wolf type character rather than the happy-go-lucky character Jason David Frank portrayed him as in the series?
TSoldier: I can't go into too many details, as this very subject is only beginning to be touched upon in the series, but I will say that it gave me an opportunity to write a character that's complex and has something to contribute to the story. It also gave me a chance to use more.....combative dialogue. That's my favorite kind to write, which can be gleaned from a lot of the conversations that have taken place in the series, be it between rangers, or regular people like Richie and Angela, or between villains like Goldar and Rita.
os_prfan: That makes a perfect lead-in to my next question, which is probably one of the most constantly debated topics amongst your readers. Why did you decide against introducing the Green Dragon Ranger in the first season?
TSoldier: I actually just made a post about this on RB. I did it, basically, because the Power Rangers are a team. They were a team before and after the Green Ranger was involved. As a fan of MMPR, I read the fics written about it and all of them introduce the Green Ranger really early, and pretty much all of those stories wouldn't have much of a story if they were to remove the Green Ranger from it. Establishing the team before the evil Green Ranger's appearance is kind of essential, as one of the things that made the evil Green Ranger's appearance (in the show) so powerful was that it completely shattered the sense of team that had been established and made the Power Rangers what it was, showing us just what a threat the evil Green Ranger is.
os_prfan: Do you have the intention of making Tommy the Green Ranger, or are you not limiting the possibilities to only the man some fans affectionately call "Jeebus"?
TSoldier: I can't say here. As the author of the series, it's my job to answer that... but in the story. Being that my intentions, in part, drive the story, it might be saying too much to answer that flat out.
os_prfan: Though I'm assuming you intend for the readers to understand that Tommy being the Green Ranger isn't set in stone, and that anything can happen, right?
TSoldier: Exactly.
os_prfan: I thought so. Well, there are 10 teens prominently featured in the more heroic light: the rangers, Tommy, T.J., Rocky, Adam and Aisha. If I were a betting man, I'd say you were starting to set up a second team of rangers. Is there any possibility of seeing rangers from another team in the second season? A team-up episode, as it were? And if so, will they be using the Dairanger suits, weaponry, etc.?
TSoldier: I'll admit that we can expect to see the appearance of other rangers in Season 2, but it won't be anything anyone is expecting. There will be a pretty huge mini-series called "RANGER WARS", but that won't be the extent of our encounters with some rather familiar characters. Season 2 is a much larger animal than Season 1. It will raise the bar well above where Season 1 set it.
os_prfan: How long do you expect the "Green With Evil" saga to last? A handful of episodes the way the show did it, or a half-season (or even full season) story arc the way Ryuranger decided to handle it in his Ultimate Power Rangers series?
TSoldier: It will be more reminiscent of the TV show. Although, the issues of dealing with an "evil Green Ranger" will extend past that Ranger's introduction. Keeping Green evil for a long time is tricky. I've seen it done before, but it gets boring. There's only so many fights that you can have between Green and the other colors before they get repetitive, with Green ALWAYS having the upperhand against any and all of the Ranger's. Then it seems like the author themselves gets bored with it and when the time to make Green good comes, it's simply an uninteresting and very sudden change from Green being able to whoop all 5 Ranger's asses- no problem, to Red (alone) now being able to whoop Green's ass. Kind of like in the SPD finale when Grumm, who I'm sure has always put up a fight before, pretty much just gets his ass lit up in a flawless victory in the end. The way I have the matter of the "evil Green Ranger" set up will avoid that..
The struggle between the influences that (MMPR:ANI- S1 has told us) both feul the Dragon Powers will definitely be an extenuating issue. I'm pretty excited about the Green Ranger's role in Season 2. I think I've found the proper balance in focus between the Green Ranger and the other 5. A lot of Season 2's greatest moments will include the Green Ranger in the plot, and whoever might hold that power. I think the "Rangerwars" mini-series and my "Green Candle" episodes alone will definitely be a highlight of the season. I'm always hesitant to say something will be unexpected to a variety of people (with vaious tastes) that make up the audience, but being that the events and results of the finale of S1 seems to have evaded most of the audiences predictions, I'm more confident in my ability to deliver on the "surprises", and Season 2 definitely won't be shy of them.
os_prfan: As it stands now in your notes, will there be more parts or fewer?
TSoldier: I can't say, but it's actually written so it's not just notes.
os_prfan: Ahh. How much of the new season do you have written thus far?
TSoldier: A substantial amount but not all of it. Around half. But I have the notes for all of it. It's just a matter of finding the time to write out the episodes.
os_prfan: Will the new season be substantially longer than the first?
TSoldier: That's a good question. There's a big surprise in store in regards to the telling of Season 2. All I can say is that there are indeed more episodes than Season 1, but not many.
os_prfan: Since you only used maybe a third of the plots from the first season of MMPR, will you continue to take plots only from the first season, or will you be jumping between seasons and selecting plots that will further the story?
TSoldier: Well, I did a little bit of jumping in Season 1 (like with the Crystal of Nightmares, and the appearance of the Stone Canyon teens, for example), but there will definitely be elements of the rest of show's Season 1 in my Season 2.
os_prfan: Do we have a possibility of a third season, or are you not thinking that far ahead?
TSoldier: While I don't really have any official work for a 3rd Season done, I definitely have some things in my notes for some things that can't possibly occur until after Season 2 of MMPR: ANI. That doesn't necessarily mean there will be one, but if there is, I do already have a (very) little bit of direction of where to take it should I have the time to continue the series.
os_prfan: How do you feel about how the first season has been received in the fanfic community?
TSoldier: Overall, I feel like Season 1 has been received well. It isn't made up of 60 episodes like the show, but even in less than half that many episodes, it's garnered a lot of attention and seems to have a very strong viewership, which I'm thankful for. It means I'm doing something right.
os_prfan: Have you given thought to possibly posting it on one of the larger fanfiction archives such as FanFiction.net?
TSoldier: One of my viewers PM'd me to suggest doing so but it seemed kind of complicated. I went to one site, maybe that one you mentioned, and unless I read it wrong, you have to upload the entire file with your story in it, and then you can release different parts of it from that file you uploaded. I don't spend much time on the internet so I didn't go that far since I don't know if I had the time to dedicate to doing all that. I definitely would like post it on other sites, but it needs to be revised first. If you go back to the first page of my fic on RB you can see how I originally wrote the story in the past tense and then after a certain point in the first episode, gradually transitioned to the present tense once I decided that's what I want to do. Eventually I'll have to seek out someone familiar with the process of posting my fic on a fanfic site to guide me through it.
os_prfan: What's your opinion on the current state of Power Rangers fanfiction?
TSoldier: I'm still really new to the fanfic environment so I haven't had a chance to see it change. I don't expect it to be anything different than it is now, though. None of us authors are pro's. We're all just people with ideas we've chosen to express. Whether their entertaining is a matter of opinion. It's not a creative writing class for college, so no one should come into it forgetting that it's Power Rangers. I do find it a bit disconcerting to see fics that are geared more towards getting attention rather than telling a story. I hope that doesn't continue. I'm happy to see fics that make marks in my mind. One's that manage to come up with a really good idea for something, be it a fight, a chase, an argument, an adventure, whatever- one that brings something different to the table.
os_prfan: Are there any fics in particular that you've enjoyed reading?
TSoldier: Several, yes. Ones that have managed to distinguish themselves. One's that have made me think "Damn! I wish I thought of that!" Some of them haven't been updated in a while, but nonetheless have made their marks with me. Tommy tripping in his basement, being haunted by images of the past in Crimson Tide/Eternal's "Turbo: ANI” is one of those marks that have been made with me. BobbyDrake2000's "MMPR: Season 3" probably has the most astounding moments out of any fic I've read. Sometimes I can get very "Stage direction-y" when I run low on the creative juices when I'm describing something. Your own "PR: Generations" has an almost poetic method of describing an action sequence or even a gesture. It makes me realize how "stage direction-y" I can get when I run low on creative juices. I'll sometimes write stuff like Jason turns to Billy, where as you'd take that and turn it into a paragraph detailing the emotion and purpose behind the action. RedGuardianRanger's "Soliloquy" does a really great and very distinctive job of detailing a moment strictly thru the emotional exerience of his main character.
os_prfan: Do you have plans for fics you'd like to write after you've finished your ANI series (however long it turns out to be)?
TSoldier: No. If I continue to write fiction after MMPR: ANI, it'll hopefully be at a professional level. I hope to refine my writing skills more as the series progresses.
os_prfan: Would you want to see another former ranger return to the series, in either a cameo or full time role? If so, who would it be and why?
TSoldier: I like all 5 original rangers (Zack, Kimberly, Billy, Trini, and Jason) about the same, so I wouldn't be able to pick one over the other, even though some of those options aren't viable. But if they did bring back those 5 (or 4, I guess, taking into consideration the death of Thuy Trang), I'd like to see Tommy appear with them as well. Beyond MMPR, the only other series I've really seen is Wild Force, so I'm not exactly dying to see any of the other rangers from the other series’ I haven't seen.
os_prfan: Are there any plot points in the run of Power Rangers that you regret not being able to see?
TSoldier: I'm not sure what you mean. Like, was there something I would have liked to see happen that didn't happen or was there something that may have been touched upon that I would have liked to see be expanded on that wasn't?
os_prfan: Well, you said you haven't been able to catch any seasons of PR outside of MMPR and Wild Force, right?
TSoldier: Yes. I see what you mean. There have been moments that I've heard about on RB that I've wanted to see, yes. So, I sought out episodes like Forever Red, and Fighting Spirit and Thunder Storm. I still want to see Adam's PR:iS appearance though. Actually, the reason I saw Wild Force recently was because it sounded like one of those things I wanted to "catch up on". Other then the stuff I've mentioned, I don't really have any interest in seeing any of the other seasons. Except Time Force. I saw the first and last episodes of Time Force and am interested in seeing the rest.
os_prfan: Have you thought of catching up on Countdown to Destruction, the finale of PR:iS? It's one of the more highly regarded finales in PR's 13 year run.
TSoldier: Oh yeah, I did see that. In order to see Forever Red I bought that Ultimate PR DVD and stumbled upon C2D. You can imagine the shock of, essentially, stumbling upon Zordon's death, especially for someone who holds MMPR in such high regards.
os_prfan: I can imagine. The different voice actor for Zordon must have thrown you at first as well, I would imagine.
TSoldier: Actually, I didn't pick up on that. And I call myself an MMPR fan.
os_prfan: How do you think you'd handle the production of a season of Power Rangers if given the opportunity?
TSoldier: It's hard to say. I could probably do some good, being that I wouldn't be just someone looking to produce something- anything, but something that I'd wasnt to see myself, which would lead to a more thoughtfully composed product. It has to be hard though, to some degree. MMPR: ANI is what I would want to see, but at the same time, I wasn’t restricted to using Sentai footage the way the show does.
os_prfan: *nods* Do you think that some of the newer season of Power Rangers should have the cast bleed over into the next season, the way it was from MMPR to Space?
TSoldier: It really depends on the story their telling, the direction of the series. I don't necessarily think it'd be a bad thing, though.
os_prfan: What advice do you have for some of the aspiring writers on the board? If any?
TSoldier: Hmmm. Make sure the characters have character and the story has a story.
os_prfan: And finally, do you have any parting words to your fellow writers and your fans?
TSoldier: Thanks to the writers for giving me something to read when I'm bored at work, and thanks to the readers for supporting my writing.
os_prfan: Alright, I think that means we're done. Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions, buddy.
TSoldier: Sure.
os_prfan: Alright. Let's start off with the basics. Tell us a little something about yourself.
TSoldier: Um, ok. I'm in my early 20's, born and raised in California's Bay Area. The rest isn't important.
os_prfan: How long have you been writing?
TSoldier: Ever since I could read. Before that I kind of just drew the stories I was trying to tell, so in a weird way I was writing before I could actually write, only through a more visual medium.
os_prfan: Have you done any original fiction, or only fanfiction? And is that fanfiction only in the Power Rangers fandom, or have you dabbled in others?
TSoldier: I'm not entirely sure what the term "fanfiction" means. I've only heard of the term in relation to PR fics. I started writing Mario Bros. stories and illustrating them, then went on to Captain Planet. I got into Batman in the early 90's but didn't write anything for that. Then MMPR came around and I picked up the writing thing again. Quickly after that I grew out of it and began writing an original fiction story in the same vein as KingRed, sans the PR influences, that featured my friends. I didn't really stick to the writing thing and did more artwork instead. My recent PR fanfic endeavor has been my re-introduction into the world of PR fanfiction.
os_prfan: Is "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: A New Interpretation" the only fic that you've published online, or are their other hidden gems that the fandom doesn't know about?
TSoldier: No, this is the only one. I was in elementary school when I used to write MMPR stories (not my current one). Needless to say, that much time can bury things pretty deep in the past. I still remember one or two pieces of some of the episodes I wrote back then.
os_prfan: Have you thought of including any of those snippets in MMPR: ANI?
TSoldier: No.
os_prfan: Alright, let's get a little more in depth with MMPR: ANI. What was the motivation behind you writing it?
TSoldier: There were several factors. Primarily, I figured it'd be a good exercise for a talent I'd kind of set aside. To take something as "childish" and "ineffectual" as Power Rangers and make it more gripping without making it something PR isn't. After I joined RB I stumbled across Ryuranger's "Ultiamate Power Rangers" and enjoyed the things that were reminiscent of MMPR, while it still managed to tell a different story. I thought there might be a way to write an MMPR re-make that would go as many ways toward preserving the MMPR "feel" as it could go toward changing it just enough to modernize it. And thus Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: A New Interpretation was born.
os_prfan: Was it difficult for you to keep everyone in character?
TSoldier: Not at first. I was a HUGE MMPR fan during S1, so I pretty much knew as much as there was to know about these kids, based on how I've seen them act in the kind of situations we saw them in. But, as the series went on, I found that I was putting these rangers in situations we've never really seen them in. That's when it became a real test of my writing skills: to continue to tell the story, but maintain the characters and NEVER let them slip, even if it would have made it easier to resolve whatever situation they were in.
os_prfan: Although you kept the canon relationships for most of the rangers (Trini/Richie, Billy/Marge and Zack/Angela), you decided to pair Jason and Kimberly. What made you decide to develop the possible romantic relationship between them when a lot of writers I've seen tend to give them a more big brother/little sister relationship?
TSoldier: Their relationship was never a point I made to include in the story. I just started writing and it kind of happened. The second realization I made, after seeing that I was writing Jason and Kim the way I was, was that I thought it worked. It gave us an opportunity to know more about Kimberly and Jason, adding another layer of depth to each. I wasn't completely sure how far I could or would go with their admirations, but once I saw the kind of emotion it added to the DAYS OF THE DUMPSTER saga it was clear that this was gonna work. EULOGY would later cement that fact.
os_prfan: Did you do any research to re-familiarize yourself with the universe before starting to write?
TSoldier: No. I went in blind. I would research a few facts here or there at around "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ZACK" but I went on memory (which is very daring for me) up until "HAPPY", because by that time, even as late in the series as it was, I was getting heavier into the fact-laden stuff. Like planets and galaxies and monster origins, since in MMPR: the show, some of Rita's monsters had been used at earlier times in her past and I needed to know when and where. I just realized I have two episodes in MMPR:ANI that begin with the term "HAPPY". That was another thing that I spent some time thinking about: whether or not I'd use some, all or any of the show's episode titles in my series.
os_prfan: Speaking of the show's episodes, how did you go about deciding what plots from the show to incorporate into MMPR: ANI? Were there any that you knew for certain that you would or wouldn't use?
TSoldier: I had absolutely no future insight as to how I'd handle the series after my DAYS OF THE DUMPSTER saga. I was sticking to just remaking each episode as we went along until I wrote EULOGY, and I knew that giving it the title "CRYSTAL OF NIGHTMARES" would completely destroy everything that made it so powerful. It was then that I realized I wouldn't be able to simply re-tell each episode of MMPR, because I wasn’t following the schemes. EULOGY was also a play off the episode "FOR WHOM THE BELL TROLLS" which automatically meant I wouldn't be able to re-tell each and every separate episode.
os_prfan: Was it a conscious decision to eliminate most of Rita's comedic value?
TSoldier: No, I'm just not funny so I think, subconsciously, I just wasn't going to any great lengths to make sure I was trying write characters as though they were.
os_prfan: There were a few ideas introduced in the season that were never used in the show: the combining of powers on one ranger (Tyranno/Mastodon Ranger), for example. How did you come up with those ideas?
TSoldier: That was actually just a more exaggerated version of something we did see on the show. In the show's "PEACE, LOVE AND WOE", Zordon explained that any one ranger could assume the power of the rest of the group. That's supposed to be how Billy escaped Madam Woe's dimension (in the show). Billy's ranger form didn't change, but I thought a merged Black and Red Ranger form would be an interesting visual.
os_prfan: Now, I can understand why you would introduce Rocky, Adam and Aisha, but what made you bring in T.J., a character from a season that occurs approximately three and a half years after the first season of MMPR (in the show)?
TSoldier: That was a very bold choice on my part, considering I never saw Turbo, and that I'm trying to stay as close to canon as possible. I don't remember there ever being a certain decision to do it. I think I just threw him in to see if I was good enough to make a wild card work. That and I wanted to kind of even out the ethnicity angle. I don't know anything about his character, so I only hope I didn't screw him up to much, although we can expect to see some parts of his personality that I'm guessing were never expressed in the show. His presence will make more sense in Season 2 of MMPR: ANI.
os_prfan: What made you depict Tommy as a more sullen, lone-wolf type character rather than the happy-go-lucky character Jason David Frank portrayed him as in the series?
TSoldier: I can't go into too many details, as this very subject is only beginning to be touched upon in the series, but I will say that it gave me an opportunity to write a character that's complex and has something to contribute to the story. It also gave me a chance to use more.....combative dialogue. That's my favorite kind to write, which can be gleaned from a lot of the conversations that have taken place in the series, be it between rangers, or regular people like Richie and Angela, or between villains like Goldar and Rita.
os_prfan: That makes a perfect lead-in to my next question, which is probably one of the most constantly debated topics amongst your readers. Why did you decide against introducing the Green Dragon Ranger in the first season?
TSoldier: I actually just made a post about this on RB. I did it, basically, because the Power Rangers are a team. They were a team before and after the Green Ranger was involved. As a fan of MMPR, I read the fics written about it and all of them introduce the Green Ranger really early, and pretty much all of those stories wouldn't have much of a story if they were to remove the Green Ranger from it. Establishing the team before the evil Green Ranger's appearance is kind of essential, as one of the things that made the evil Green Ranger's appearance (in the show) so powerful was that it completely shattered the sense of team that had been established and made the Power Rangers what it was, showing us just what a threat the evil Green Ranger is.
os_prfan: Do you have the intention of making Tommy the Green Ranger, or are you not limiting the possibilities to only the man some fans affectionately call "Jeebus"?
TSoldier: I can't say here. As the author of the series, it's my job to answer that... but in the story. Being that my intentions, in part, drive the story, it might be saying too much to answer that flat out.
os_prfan: Though I'm assuming you intend for the readers to understand that Tommy being the Green Ranger isn't set in stone, and that anything can happen, right?
TSoldier: Exactly.
os_prfan: I thought so. Well, there are 10 teens prominently featured in the more heroic light: the rangers, Tommy, T.J., Rocky, Adam and Aisha. If I were a betting man, I'd say you were starting to set up a second team of rangers. Is there any possibility of seeing rangers from another team in the second season? A team-up episode, as it were? And if so, will they be using the Dairanger suits, weaponry, etc.?
TSoldier: I'll admit that we can expect to see the appearance of other rangers in Season 2, but it won't be anything anyone is expecting. There will be a pretty huge mini-series called "RANGER WARS", but that won't be the extent of our encounters with some rather familiar characters. Season 2 is a much larger animal than Season 1. It will raise the bar well above where Season 1 set it.
os_prfan: How long do you expect the "Green With Evil" saga to last? A handful of episodes the way the show did it, or a half-season (or even full season) story arc the way Ryuranger decided to handle it in his Ultimate Power Rangers series?
TSoldier: It will be more reminiscent of the TV show. Although, the issues of dealing with an "evil Green Ranger" will extend past that Ranger's introduction. Keeping Green evil for a long time is tricky. I've seen it done before, but it gets boring. There's only so many fights that you can have between Green and the other colors before they get repetitive, with Green ALWAYS having the upperhand against any and all of the Ranger's. Then it seems like the author themselves gets bored with it and when the time to make Green good comes, it's simply an uninteresting and very sudden change from Green being able to whoop all 5 Ranger's asses- no problem, to Red (alone) now being able to whoop Green's ass. Kind of like in the SPD finale when Grumm, who I'm sure has always put up a fight before, pretty much just gets his ass lit up in a flawless victory in the end. The way I have the matter of the "evil Green Ranger" set up will avoid that..
The struggle between the influences that (MMPR:ANI- S1 has told us) both feul the Dragon Powers will definitely be an extenuating issue. I'm pretty excited about the Green Ranger's role in Season 2. I think I've found the proper balance in focus between the Green Ranger and the other 5. A lot of Season 2's greatest moments will include the Green Ranger in the plot, and whoever might hold that power. I think the "Rangerwars" mini-series and my "Green Candle" episodes alone will definitely be a highlight of the season. I'm always hesitant to say something will be unexpected to a variety of people (with vaious tastes) that make up the audience, but being that the events and results of the finale of S1 seems to have evaded most of the audiences predictions, I'm more confident in my ability to deliver on the "surprises", and Season 2 definitely won't be shy of them.
os_prfan: As it stands now in your notes, will there be more parts or fewer?
TSoldier: I can't say, but it's actually written so it's not just notes.
os_prfan: Ahh. How much of the new season do you have written thus far?
TSoldier: A substantial amount but not all of it. Around half. But I have the notes for all of it. It's just a matter of finding the time to write out the episodes.
os_prfan: Will the new season be substantially longer than the first?
TSoldier: That's a good question. There's a big surprise in store in regards to the telling of Season 2. All I can say is that there are indeed more episodes than Season 1, but not many.
os_prfan: Since you only used maybe a third of the plots from the first season of MMPR, will you continue to take plots only from the first season, or will you be jumping between seasons and selecting plots that will further the story?
TSoldier: Well, I did a little bit of jumping in Season 1 (like with the Crystal of Nightmares, and the appearance of the Stone Canyon teens, for example), but there will definitely be elements of the rest of show's Season 1 in my Season 2.
os_prfan: Do we have a possibility of a third season, or are you not thinking that far ahead?
TSoldier: While I don't really have any official work for a 3rd Season done, I definitely have some things in my notes for some things that can't possibly occur until after Season 2 of MMPR: ANI. That doesn't necessarily mean there will be one, but if there is, I do already have a (very) little bit of direction of where to take it should I have the time to continue the series.
os_prfan: How do you feel about how the first season has been received in the fanfic community?
TSoldier: Overall, I feel like Season 1 has been received well. It isn't made up of 60 episodes like the show, but even in less than half that many episodes, it's garnered a lot of attention and seems to have a very strong viewership, which I'm thankful for. It means I'm doing something right.
os_prfan: Have you given thought to possibly posting it on one of the larger fanfiction archives such as FanFiction.net?
TSoldier: One of my viewers PM'd me to suggest doing so but it seemed kind of complicated. I went to one site, maybe that one you mentioned, and unless I read it wrong, you have to upload the entire file with your story in it, and then you can release different parts of it from that file you uploaded. I don't spend much time on the internet so I didn't go that far since I don't know if I had the time to dedicate to doing all that. I definitely would like post it on other sites, but it needs to be revised first. If you go back to the first page of my fic on RB you can see how I originally wrote the story in the past tense and then after a certain point in the first episode, gradually transitioned to the present tense once I decided that's what I want to do. Eventually I'll have to seek out someone familiar with the process of posting my fic on a fanfic site to guide me through it.
os_prfan: What's your opinion on the current state of Power Rangers fanfiction?
TSoldier: I'm still really new to the fanfic environment so I haven't had a chance to see it change. I don't expect it to be anything different than it is now, though. None of us authors are pro's. We're all just people with ideas we've chosen to express. Whether their entertaining is a matter of opinion. It's not a creative writing class for college, so no one should come into it forgetting that it's Power Rangers. I do find it a bit disconcerting to see fics that are geared more towards getting attention rather than telling a story. I hope that doesn't continue. I'm happy to see fics that make marks in my mind. One's that manage to come up with a really good idea for something, be it a fight, a chase, an argument, an adventure, whatever- one that brings something different to the table.
os_prfan: Are there any fics in particular that you've enjoyed reading?
TSoldier: Several, yes. Ones that have managed to distinguish themselves. One's that have made me think "Damn! I wish I thought of that!" Some of them haven't been updated in a while, but nonetheless have made their marks with me. Tommy tripping in his basement, being haunted by images of the past in Crimson Tide/Eternal's "Turbo: ANI” is one of those marks that have been made with me. BobbyDrake2000's "MMPR: Season 3" probably has the most astounding moments out of any fic I've read. Sometimes I can get very "Stage direction-y" when I run low on the creative juices when I'm describing something. Your own "PR: Generations" has an almost poetic method of describing an action sequence or even a gesture. It makes me realize how "stage direction-y" I can get when I run low on creative juices. I'll sometimes write stuff like Jason turns to Billy, where as you'd take that and turn it into a paragraph detailing the emotion and purpose behind the action. RedGuardianRanger's "Soliloquy" does a really great and very distinctive job of detailing a moment strictly thru the emotional exerience of his main character.
os_prfan: Do you have plans for fics you'd like to write after you've finished your ANI series (however long it turns out to be)?
TSoldier: No. If I continue to write fiction after MMPR: ANI, it'll hopefully be at a professional level. I hope to refine my writing skills more as the series progresses.
os_prfan: Would you want to see another former ranger return to the series, in either a cameo or full time role? If so, who would it be and why?
TSoldier: I like all 5 original rangers (Zack, Kimberly, Billy, Trini, and Jason) about the same, so I wouldn't be able to pick one over the other, even though some of those options aren't viable. But if they did bring back those 5 (or 4, I guess, taking into consideration the death of Thuy Trang), I'd like to see Tommy appear with them as well. Beyond MMPR, the only other series I've really seen is Wild Force, so I'm not exactly dying to see any of the other rangers from the other series’ I haven't seen.
os_prfan: Are there any plot points in the run of Power Rangers that you regret not being able to see?
TSoldier: I'm not sure what you mean. Like, was there something I would have liked to see happen that didn't happen or was there something that may have been touched upon that I would have liked to see be expanded on that wasn't?
os_prfan: Well, you said you haven't been able to catch any seasons of PR outside of MMPR and Wild Force, right?
TSoldier: Yes. I see what you mean. There have been moments that I've heard about on RB that I've wanted to see, yes. So, I sought out episodes like Forever Red, and Fighting Spirit and Thunder Storm. I still want to see Adam's PR:iS appearance though. Actually, the reason I saw Wild Force recently was because it sounded like one of those things I wanted to "catch up on". Other then the stuff I've mentioned, I don't really have any interest in seeing any of the other seasons. Except Time Force. I saw the first and last episodes of Time Force and am interested in seeing the rest.
os_prfan: Have you thought of catching up on Countdown to Destruction, the finale of PR:iS? It's one of the more highly regarded finales in PR's 13 year run.
TSoldier: Oh yeah, I did see that. In order to see Forever Red I bought that Ultimate PR DVD and stumbled upon C2D. You can imagine the shock of, essentially, stumbling upon Zordon's death, especially for someone who holds MMPR in such high regards.
os_prfan: I can imagine. The different voice actor for Zordon must have thrown you at first as well, I would imagine.
TSoldier: Actually, I didn't pick up on that. And I call myself an MMPR fan.
os_prfan: How do you think you'd handle the production of a season of Power Rangers if given the opportunity?
TSoldier: It's hard to say. I could probably do some good, being that I wouldn't be just someone looking to produce something- anything, but something that I'd wasnt to see myself, which would lead to a more thoughtfully composed product. It has to be hard though, to some degree. MMPR: ANI is what I would want to see, but at the same time, I wasn’t restricted to using Sentai footage the way the show does.
os_prfan: *nods* Do you think that some of the newer season of Power Rangers should have the cast bleed over into the next season, the way it was from MMPR to Space?
TSoldier: It really depends on the story their telling, the direction of the series. I don't necessarily think it'd be a bad thing, though.
os_prfan: What advice do you have for some of the aspiring writers on the board? If any?
TSoldier: Hmmm. Make sure the characters have character and the story has a story.
os_prfan: And finally, do you have any parting words to your fellow writers and your fans?
TSoldier: Thanks to the writers for giving me something to read when I'm bored at work, and thanks to the readers for supporting my writing.
os_prfan: Alright, I think that means we're done. Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions, buddy.
TSoldier: Sure.